Luna moth
Actias luna (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Hindwings have long curving tails. Wings are pale green, each with a transparent eyespot. Outer margins are pink in the southern spring brood, yellow in the southern summer brood and in northern populations.
Wing Span: 2 15/16 - 4 1/8 inches (7.5 - 10.5 cm).
Life History: Adults are very strong fliers and are attracted to lights. Mating takes place after midnight, and egg-laying begins that evening. Females lay eggs in small groups or singly on both surfaces of host plant leaves. The eggs hatch in about one week and the caterpillars are sedentary and solitary feeders. Leaves and silk are used to spin papery brown cocoons in litter under the host plant.
Flight: One brood from May-July in the north, two to three broods from March-September in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of trees including white birch (Betula papyrifera), persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), hickories (Carya), walnuts (Juglans), and sumacs (Rhus).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous hardwood forests.
Range: Common. Nova Scotia west to Saskatchewan and eastern North Dakota; south to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and eastern Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Taxonomy Notes: This moth is often mistakenly referred to as the Lunar Moth, instead of the Luna Moth. It is also sometimes referred to as the American Moon Moth.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 3369 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 08, 2025
Submitted by: pipher_rowan
Region: Calvert County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 24, 2025
Submitted by: ButterflymothAR
Region: Ouachita County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 18, 2025
Submitted by: RaleighMoths
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2025
Observation date: May 27, 2025
Submitted by: Sugar creek gar...
Region: Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 05, 2025
Observation date: May 27, 2025
Submitted by: Sugar creek gar...
Region: Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 05, 2025
Observation date: Jul 20, 2025
Submitted by: Melinda Bell
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Maury County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2025
Submitted by: ebea
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2025
Observation date: Jun 13, 2025
Submitted by: Melizardo321
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2025
Observation date: Jun 16, 2025
Submitted by: MNMothMom
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 24, 2025
Observation date: May 15, 2025
Submitted by: Falcon5177
Region: Douglas County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 20, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: Falcon5177
Region: Douglas County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 20, 2025
Observation date: Jul 17, 2025
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 18, 2025
Observation date: May 02, 2017
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 15, 2025
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 08, 2025
Observation date: Jul 06, 2025
Submitted by: Ilse Gebhard
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025
Observation date: Jun 27, 2025
Submitted by: NatureWalks79
Region: Liberty County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Sep 13, 2024
Submitted by: rangerbrandi
Region: Chicot County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 03, 2025
Observation date: Jun 04, 2025
Submitted by: Les in Ohio
Region: Guernsey County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 02, 2025
Observation date: Jun 25, 2025
Submitted by: Winterwahine
Region: York County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 26, 2025
Observation date: Jun 24, 2025
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Luce County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 24, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: rmery
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 22, 2025
Observation date: Jun 16, 2025
Submitted by: dnight30
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 18, 2025
Observation date: Jun 13, 2025
Submitted by: dnight30
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 14, 2025
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